He faces a general election challenge from former Tempe mayor and Democratic state Senator Harry Mitchell.

Mitchell stepped down from his state Senate post Thursday in order to run against Hayworth, as required by state law.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will pick a replacement for Mitchell in the state Senate.

Mitchell, who also served as chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party, decided to challenge Hayworth after substantial prodding from top state and national Democrats.

Hayworth will get some fundraising help this weekend at an event in North Scottsdale with House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. Hunter will help Hayworth raise campaign funds on Saturday.

Vice President Dick Cheney is in Tucson today hosting a fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl.

Pederson served as Arizona Democratic Party chairman before mounting a run at Kyl.

The Democratic National Committee and the Pederson campaign criticized Kyl for being a Bush administration ally on Capitol Hill.

"Jon Kyl is being rewarded for voting with the Bush administration 95 percent of the time," said Pederson in a statement Thursday.

Republicans stress the fact that Kyl often votes with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. on many key issues and has opposed the Bush administration recently on issues such as the energy bill and the Dubai Ports deal.

Kyl has supported President Bush on issues such as tax cuts, repeal of the federal estate tax and a controversial Medicare prescription drug benefit.